Ten Goodbyes and One Hello
by sudipal
Summary: In memory of Nicholas Courtney, 1929-2011. Previously titled 'Hail and Farewell.' The Doctors say goodbye to an old friend, each in their own time and in their own way... Complete: featuring all Doctors 1-11
1. Two's Farewell

Disclaimer: Don't own Doctor Who or any of its characters

Dedicated to Nicholas Courtney (1929- 2011)

* * *

"We've been through a lot together, haven't we, Doctor?" the Brigadier spoke from where he sat, leaning against the headboard on his bed, too weak from illness to move downstairs. The Doctor was settled in an armchair facing across from him.

"Yes," the Doctor said. "Yetis, Cybermen, Omega..."

"Zodin," the Brigadier added. They shared a knowing smile. "I never did quite get around to mentioning that one to Doris."

"No," said the Doctor. "I don't blame you."

The Brigadier sighed. "It feels like only yesterday. Time is a funny thing; though, I suppose you know all about that."

"I've had some experience in the area, yes."

"All of those adventures..." The end of the sentence trailed off as memories became more prominent in his mind.

"Just remember, though," said the Doctor, in a soft tone. "I have many of those experiences still ahead of me."

"You know, that is somewhat comforting, in a way- to know I'll still be out there somewhere..."

"I've always thought so," said the Doctor, seeming a bit distant at that moment. After a brief pause, he suddenly added, "Well, my dear Brigadier, I really must get going. I'm not really meant to be here." He began to rise from his seat.

"I don't understand, Doctor," said the Brigadier, extending his arm out to shake the Doctor's hand. "But you never were an easy man to comprehend. Goodbye, Doctor."

The Doctor held the Brigadier's once firm grasp, and smiled sadly. "Farewell, Brigadier."


	2. Three's Farewell

Spoilers for _Planet of the Spiders_.

* * *

"The TARDIS brought me home," the Doctor said to Sarah Jane. Then, his strength finally left him as the radiation from the Metebelis Crystal continued to absorb into his bloodstream. He fell towards the ground, and the world went a bit fuzzy. He was vaguely aware of the Brigadier placing a cushion beneath his head. The Doctor had meant to say thank you... He had meant to say a lot of things, really.

When the Doctor had finally been given his freedom, he momentarily toyed with the idea of popping into the future and finding the Brigadier- to prove to that insufferable ass that the TARDIS could, in fact, function properly and that it wasn't a huge waste of time and energy. But then he instantly felt guilty. When the Time Lords had stranded him and he had nowhere else to go, the Brigadier had provided him with a home, equipment, and access to a seemingly infinite amount of additional resources. The two of them may have had their differences, to be sure, but the Brigadier always did what he thought was right. And, most importantly, he never expected to be praised for it. The Doctor respected him for that.

He owed so much to the Brigadier, so when the Doctor lay close to death, he was glad that the man was by his side. The Doctor didn't address him; somehow, it would have seemed unfitting, not enough, to attempt any sort of final goodbye. They, who had seen so much, who had fought the forces of evil and destruction, who had understood each other better than either had thought possible, could not sum up their feelings through a few token words. No, to force their true thoughts about each other into the physical realm would be to lose some of the meaning behind them. He just hoped that the Brigadier understood, knew that he would.


	3. Four's Farewell

"Alistair," Doris said, entering her and her husband's bedroom, where he had been laid up for the past several days with illness. He was very much declining in health, and they both knew deep down that he was close to the end. "The Doctor and his friend are here to see you."

"Again?" said the Brigadier, sitting up. "But I've seen him three times this week already."

"I know," said Doris. "But he rather insisted."

"Show him in, then," said the Brigadier.

His wife disappeared and a few moments later returned with the curly-haired one with that dratted scarf for which one must surely have to be an acrobat not to trip over all the time and a petite young blond woman in a pink trench coat.

"Ahh, _Brigadier_!" the Doctor said in that deep voice of his, drawling out the Brigadier's name with a friendly smile on his face, and arms extended out for further emphasis.

"Yes, hello, Doctor," he said. "Did you need something or are you just after a chat?"

"I wanted to introduce you to my friend Romana," said the Doctor. "Romana, this is Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart."

The blond woman smiled and said, "The Doctor's been telling me so much about you."

"Oh?" said the Brigadier. "Why?"

"We were playing a round of Memnosian Poccoball, and I won," Romana explained.

"_Cheated_," the Doctor grumbled under his breath.

"And so he was forced to tell me a story about his time during his exile on Earth," she continued, choosing to ignore him. "You're name came up; and, as someone who _actually_ held authority over the Doctor... Well, I just had to meet you."

"Well," said the Brigadier. "I wouldn't say I held _much_ authority over him." He paused for a moment and his expression changed. "Wait... what do you mean by 'exile?'"

"When the Time Lords put me on trial and imprisoned me on Earth," said the Doctor. "Surely, I must have mentioned it to you."

"No, I don't believe you did," said the Brigadier through gritted teeth.

"Well," said the Doctor. "No matter. What's done is done, aye?"

The Brigadier sighed; no use in holding a grudge about it now. "Would you both care to sit?" he said, indicating some nearby chairs. "So what did the Doctor tell you about me?"

"I don't really think it needs repeating," Romana said a bit too quickly.

"That bad, aye?"

"Not very terrible," she said. "I've said worse about him."

"You know," said the Brigadier. "I'm sure that whatever it was, I've said worse about him as well. Do you know how much trouble he's caused me over the years?"

"I _am_ still here..." said the Doctor, suddenly revealing a bag of jelly babies and eating them sullenly.

"I remember when he changed into this one," said the Brigadier. "He locked our medical officer inside a cupboard. _Completely_ off his rocker."

"And yet I still managed to save you lot from a gigantic robot, thank you very much."

"That is true," the Brigadier told Romana.

"Why, Brigadier!" exclaimed the Doctor. "Did you just agree with me?"

"There's a first time for everything," he answered. "Pity it's taken this long."

"You always were a bit slow when it came to seeing reason," said the Doctor.

"Pot, kettle, black, Doctor," said the Brigadier. The Doctor frowned.

"Now I understand why the Doctor thinks so highly of you," said Romana, giggling. "So few humans ever seem to put him in his place."

"It comes with years of practice," said the Brigadier.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and Doris appeared. "Alistair," she said. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's getting very late, and you should get your rest."

"Thank you, dear," he said.

"Well," said the Doctor, grasping the Brigadier's hand. "I suppose this is farewell."

"Until we meet again, Doctor," said the Brigadier, exhaustion already hitting him. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Romana."

"Just Romana will do," she said, smiling sweetly. "And the pleasure was all mine."

–

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor instantly began adjusting the controls on the console, deep in thought.

"Doctor," said Romana. "One thing has been bothering me."

"What is that?"

"Why did you choose this day in the Brigadier's life to introduce me to him?" she asked.

"Three days from now," said the Doctor, intentionally not looking Romana in the eye, but instead choosing to stare at his hands as he continued to manipulate the controls. "The Brigadier's strength will finally fail him and he'll pass away. I didn't take you to him so that you could meet him; rather, that I might say farewell.

"Everyone I've traveled with eventually leaves me," he continued, finally turning to Romana to meet her gaze, his implication lying heavily between them. "The Brigadier has been my only constant.

"When I regenerated into this body, it seemed like I couldn't leave Earth fast enough. I completely abandoned the Brigadier and UNIT the first chance I got. I ran away, just like I've always done. I never said goodbye, never thanked him, never apologized for all the things I've said and done."

Romana silently walked to the Doctor's side. "So why didn't you say all those things to him now?"

"Because you said it for me," he said.

"_I did_?" said Romana, confused.

"You told him that I thought very highly of him," he explained. "He knows that I cared enough to talk about him to others, and that I didn't just forget him when he was out of sight."

"Oh," Romana said, pondering over what the Doctor had said. Then she smiled, and said, "You know, that story about the giant robot sounded very interesting."

"Oh, it was," he said, returning her grin with his own. "I'm quite proud of that one, actually. It all started right after I regenerated..."


	4. Five's Farewell

The TARDIS stood behind a small hill, hidden from the procession of mourners now arriving to the grave site. There was a large crowd, as those who knew him in life could not help but wish to honor him in death. The air was chilled, but the descending fog made the atmosphere seem heavy- a fitting parallel to the substantial amount of gloom weighing down the proceedings.

The Doctor watched silently from a distance, standing on the crest of the hill a few feet away from the TARDIS. Close behind him, Tegan rubbed away her tears with the back of her hand, and Turlough stood rigidly with his head bowed and hands clasped in front of him.

When the bagpipes began to play as the casket was lowered into the earth, the Doctor let out a deep sigh, finally breaking his own silence since arriving. He suddenly turned around and made his way slowly back toward the TARDIS, as Tegan and Turlough followed.

Several heads turned toward the direction of the fading sound; and those that knew just cried all the harder.


	5. Six's Farewell

"Doctor," said the Brigadier, lying in his bed, in the middle of reading the newspaper when the Doctor strode into the room. "I don't know if I'm up for your shenanigans at this very moment. Besides, I just saw you yesterday."

"You may have seen me yesterday," said the Doctor. "But I haven't seen you in ages."

The Brigadier folded up his paper and sighed, taking a long look at the man who just sat down next to him. "It looks like you haven't been able to see _anything_ in ages with that ghastly coat you're wearing," said the Brigadier.

"And what's wrong with my coat?" said the Doctor, defensively.

"It looks like you're dressed for a pantomime," said the Brigadier.

"Well, those UNIT uniforms never made their way to the height of fashion, either," said the Doctor.

"The only difference is that I was commanded to wear them," said the Brigadier.

"I have my reasons for choosing this outfit," said the Doctor. "You wouldn't understand, but then, you never were the sharpest blade on the razor."

"Did you just come here to berate me, or was there another purpose?"

"I just stopped by to say hello," said the Doctor.

"I think you mean goodbye," said the Brigadier. The Doctor quirked an eyebrow, so Alistair continued, "I know this is the end, and even if I didn't, your stopping by every few days showed some indication that something was up." The Doctor made a small snort through his nose. "So, instead of arguing, let me just say what I'd actually like to say to you: Doctor, I appreciate you. For everything you've done over the years to help me and the rest of the human race. I don't know if anyone has ever really thanked you, so I just wanted to let you know it. In every incarnation I've met of you, and there's been a lot of them, you've always been the best man I've ever had the honor to know."

The Doctor remained quiet for a few moments, taking in what was just said to him. "Brigadier, I..." he began, trying to voice his thoughts, unsure of how to perfectly express his feelings, until he finally said, "You're a good man, Brigadier. It's been a privilege to know you." He then patted the Brigadier's leg affectionately and rose from his seat. "Goodbye, Brigadier."

Once the Doctor had left, the Brigadier reopened his newspaper. "Well, that's one way to get rid of him."


	6. Seven's Farewell

A/N: Yes, I know I've taken forever to update... It's very difficult writing for the voice of every single Doctor, especially since I'm not very familiar with some of them.

Spoilers: Battlefield

* * *

The Doctor saw the Brigadier lying there motionless and ran to him, cradling him in his arms. "You stupid, stubborn, thick-headed numskull!" He shouted, to the Brigadier, to everyone, to no one. "You were supposed to die in bed! I could have handled it. It was only your job."

Why could he never see reason? Why did he always have to bluster about, blasting away with that stupid gun, acting like a fool? The arrogant, loudmouthed nitwit with his asinine commands, ludicrous understanding of world order, and preposterous sense of bravery. It was never supposed to be this way! He was supposed to live a long and happy life, to greet his end with a sense of accomplishment... And now he's gone and ruined everything! Oh, I rue that day I ever met him!

"Nonsense, Doctor," said the Brigadier, gasping back into consciousness.

The Doctor stared down at his friend and their eyes met, a smirk forming at the edges of the Brigadier's mouth.

_Well, who asked you? _

The Doctor instantly threw the Brigadier's head to the ground, got up, and grumbled, "You're supposed to be dead!"


	7. Eight's Farewell

The Brigadier could hear the familiar sound in the distance and immediately felt the dual inner emotions of irritation and excitement, not exactly sure what to expect in the near future, but knowing that at least a good story would come from it. He laid back into his armchair and tried to focus on the newspaper, affecting nonchalance. Then there was a knock at his door.

He waited exactly ten seconds before rising from his seat and slowly heading for the front door. He took in the appearance of the man with his long, wavy hair and Victorian era garb, including a velvet jacket which reminded the Brigadier of the version which first became UNIT's Scientific Advisor. "May I help you?" the Brigadier asked him.

"No use playing games with me, Brigadier," said the Doctor, pushing his way inside. "We've known each other too long." He then sat down in the same armchair which the Brigadier had just been seated in; the Brigadier joined him in another nearby chair.

"So what is it today, old chap?" asked the Brigadier. "Autons? Yetis? Daleks?"

"The last one," said the Doctor. "Sort of."

"Daleks!" said the Brigadier. "Well, what are we doing just sitting around here then? I won't abide them on my planet."

"They're not on _your_ planet," said the Doctor, a bit of spite in his voice. "They're on mine."

"Yours?" asked the Brigadier.

"Gallifrey," said the Doctor. "The Time Lords versus the Daleks in an all out war, with not just one planet at stake, but the entire universe."

The Brigadier remained silent as he absorbed the information. "So why did you come here?" he asked.

"You know the threat the Daleks can bring," said the Doctor. He shifted a bit in his seat and turned his eyes away. "I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" repeated the Brigadier. "Nonsense."

"As a soldier," he said. "I thought you'd be the one to understand. I've already received word that so many of my people have died. And it doesn't just end there: they can regenerate, remember? They suffer the pain and misery of death over and over, praying that at least it will all be worth it in the long run."

"And you're to join them," the Brigadier nodded in understanding.

"In a word, yes."

"Did you visit anyone else?" he asked.

"No," said the Doctor. "Only you, and then I'm off."

They met each other's gaze in one brief moment of silence. Then the Brigadier asked, "Why am I so special?"

"That would take longer to explain than I have the time for," the Doctor answered him. He then stood up. "I really should be going."

The Brigadier rose to see his old friend to the door. "I hope to see you again, Doctor," he said.

"Oh," he said, smiling sadly. "You definitely will, I can assure you. But whether or not I'll ever see you again is an entirely different matter."

"I have faith in you, Doctor," said the Brigadier, extending his hand.

They shook hands, and the expressions on their faces were enough to cover ten thousand farewells.

The Brigadier stood watching well past the TARDIS' disappearance, until he finally turned away and sighed. Deciding his home was just too depressing and claustrophobic at the moment, he closed the door behind him and opted to take a stroll down the road. "I have faith in you, Doctor," he said again, this time to himself. "Just remember to have faith in yourself."


	8. Nine's Farewell

The Doctor thought about visiting him. Numerous times, in fact. But something always held him back. And he knew exactly what it was: seeing the one man in whom he had confided everything, the last true friend he saw before everything went to hell.

His old friend would ask questions, and the Doctor would be forced to answer them, to replay those dark days again, to speak their secrets which he alone was left to keep. The Doctor just couldn't bare to face him right now: another soldier, but one who was able to stare into the living nightmare and still come out whole.

No, he would just end up despising himself while taking it out on the other man who didn't deserve it. Definitely not today. Perhaps he'd change his mind another time?

And at least this way he would think the Doctor died a hero, instead of having survived as a failure.


	9. Ten's Farewell

A/N: This one went through a lot of revisions, and I'm still not sure about the outcome. In the end, I think it serves as more of a bridge between the last chapter and what will be the next chapter. Also, the whole nursing home thing kind of ruins the continuity of my previous chapters. Since I'm too lazy to go back and edit, just think of it all as 'wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.'

* * *

There was a knock at the door. "Brigadier," said the fair-haired nurse, smiling cheerfully. "It's a nice day today. Why are you hiding yourself away in the dark?" She made her way across the room to open the blinds of the large window.

"Oh?" said the Brigadier, rearranging himself as he made an effort to sit up in his bed. He had returned to his room shortly after lunch and just wanted a lie down. "Well, some fresh air might be nice." He was silent for a moment before asking, "No visitors today, Charlotte?"

The nurse turned away from the window and tried her best at a stern expression. "What do you mean?" she said to him. "You know very well that your wife comes to visit you everyday; you saw her just this morning."

"You know very well what I mean," he retorted. They went through this practically every day and by now had become part of their routine. "The man I've told you about, the Doctor."

"Oh yes," said Nurse Charlotte. "The strange man who somehow has a doctorate without even having a name. No, he hasn't been here."

"Not even a strange man skulking around the premises?" offered the Brigadier.

"Of course not," scoffed Charlotte. "And what kind of friend is he if you can't even tell me what he looks like?"

"He tends to change a lot," said the Brigadier with a huff of annoyance.

"Don't we all," said the nurse, lightly tidying the place.

"Well, I was hoping..." said the Brigadier, sighing heavily at his unfinished thought.

Suddenly, there was a noise in the distance, and both the Brigadier and Nurse Charlotte turned there heads. "That'll be him," said the Brigadier, unable to hide his grin. Charlotte turned back and stared at him strangely before hurrying out of the room.

A few minutes later, there was another knock at his door, this one much less confident than the one that came earlier. "Brigadier?" said Nurse Charlotte, her voice an octave lower than usual. "You have a visitor."

"Well, please show them in, Charlotte," said the Brigadier.

The nurse stepped aside to reveal a fairly tall man in a suit, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his trench coat, standing in the doorway. "Hello, Brigadier," he said.

The Brigadier smiled, and said, "I knew I'd see you again, Doctor." He then beckoned his old friend into the room. "They moved me into this nursing home only recently, you know. Doris, bless her heart, was having trouble taking care of me by herself. It's for the best; they're taking good care of me."

"I'm glad to hear that," said the Doctor, moving to sit down next to him.

"I see you've met Nurse Charlotte," he said, indicating the woman still standing quietly by the door.

"Oh yes," said the Doctor. "She came and brought me straight over to you. Mentioned you were expecting me?"

"In a way," said the Brigadier.

"I'll just leave you two to business," said Charlotte, closing the door gently, feeling as though she was intruding. And, anyway, she'd just ask the Brigadier all about it later.

"I was wondering when you'd finally show up," the Brigadier said to the Doctor.

"I know," said the Doctor. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" said the Brigadier. "I've come to expect it from you."

"To be honest," said the Doctor. "I hadn't really made any plans to come here."

"Oh?"

"Things have gotten a little out of hand lately," he said, leaning a bit closer and resting his arms in his lap. "But I've come here to make amends; there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" asked the Brigadier.

"It's not just you I've come to visit, but all of my old friends," the Doctor began to explain. "I wanted to see them all before I died."

"Died?" repeated the Brigadier, the word distasteful on his tongue.

"That's right," said the Doctor. "And it looks to be for real this time: no regeneration, no last minute rescue plan, no way out of it."

"I refuse to believe it," said the Brigadier.

"Everybody has to die sometime," said the Doctor, a hint of spite in his voice. "You of all people should understand that."

They sat in heavy silence for a few brief moments until the Brigadier said in a quiet tone, "I know. It's just so strange having to accept it."

"You're the only one I've told," said the Doctor, already feeling regret at his unjust tone from just a moment ago.

"Pardon?"

"A saw the others, but I was too afraid to speak to them," he explained. "I didn't want them remembering me in this way."

"But I'm different?" asked the Brigadier.

"Actually," said the Doctor. "I almost skipped you entirely. I didn't want to visit you for the longest time because I was afraid of what you'd think of me."

"What rot!" exclaimed the Brigadier. "You've never cared before."

At that, the Doctor burst out a short laugh. "That's very untrue, Brigadier," he said. "No matter any of the nasty things I've said to you over the years, even if I meant them, I really didn't. I never normally revisited old companions, but for you, I've always made an exception... Because you are an exceptional man.

"Brigadier," he continued. "I'm going to tell you something that I would never admit to anyone ever under any other circumstances."

"Well, Doctor?"

"I'm scared," he said.

"Then I'll share a secret, too," he said.

"Yes?" said the Doctor.

"Me, too."

The Doctor nodded, but said nothing. He suddenly rose from his seat. "I better get going," he finally said. "Goodbye, Brigadier." They grasped each other's hands, the Doctor's grip naturally much firmer than his ailing friend's.

"Impossible things always happen when you're involved, Doctor," said the Brigadier. "Don't give up. There's still life in us both."

"That's right, Brigadier," he said sadly; though, deep inside, he knew he finally had to accept his fate.

"Goodbye, Doctor," said the Brigadier, hiding his grief, anguish, and regret towards the man he never imagined could ever leave this world for good. But there was still hope, and the Brigadier would never forsake it until his last breath would leave him.


	10. Eleven's Farewell

(Shhh...) Spoilers!: The Wedding of River Song

* * *

The Doctor had so much life still within him, and he wouldn't give it up that easily. He had been told so many times in his long, long existence that he would soon meet his death that he has now come to the conclusion that time, while it has always been on his side, would even sacrifice itself just to give him the opportunity to let his hearts beat just a little while longer.

He still had so much to do, so many favors he still owed; his farewell tour was only half complete at the most. There were still new worlds, old ones still evolving, allies and enemies, chases, puzzles, duels, people pointing guns... Which reminded him.

"Hello," he said, smiling into the phone.

But instead of hearing the voice of his old dear friend, a woman answered back. "Doctor," she said. "I'm so sorry. We didn't know how to contact you."

The Doctor only listened, knowing what she would say, but not wanting to believe it until he heard it from her.

"I'm afraid Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart passed away."

He suddenly felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

"A few months ago," she continued. "Doctor...?" she asked when she heard no response from him.

He stumbled over his words, the shock of the news throwing him off balance. Of course, he always knew the Brigadier would die, had even attended his funeral, but the coincidence of it all... Or was it fate, he could never remember.

"It was very peaceful," the nurse told him, and he was sure she was well-trained in this sort of thing. "He talked a lot about you, if that's any comfort. Always made us pour an extra brandy, in case you came round one of these days."

And he hadn't. He had let another person down, one more to add to the list.

The Brigadier was dead. The Companion that never was. He had fought by the Doctor's side so many times, accompanied him on so many adventures, and helped him to defend planet earth more times than most humans would ever have the opportunity. The man knew his place, and he knew his duty. He would never take the coward's way out, and instead chose to face any danger unafraid of death. What would he think of the Doctor? Would he turn away in shame?

It was time to take responsibility.

"Doctor," said the head of Dorium, seeing the concern on the Doctor's face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," the Doctor responded, hanging up the phone. "I, uh... just..." He turned towards Dorium, letting out a deep breath. He reached for the envelopes in his coat pocket and stared at them for a moment. "It's time," he said, solemnly. "It's time."

I'll make you proud, Brigadier.


	11. One's Hello

A/N: Well, finally done. I don't know if the ending is epic enough with which to finish, but it says what I wanted it to say, and that's all I could hope for.

* * *

During his time off-duty, he liked to take a walk in the park. He found it relaxing to be a passive observer as life occurred around him in a seemingly care-free existence. All the rest of his time, he was expected to take charge or to take orders, to do his duty to the best of his abilities. And though he loved every moment of it, sometimes he enjoyed a holiday like anyone else.

He strolled down the paved pathway, his arms held loosely behind his back, pausing once in a while to observe a particular flower garden or chirping bird. Not to far away, he spotted a wooden bench and had a notion to sit there to rest. As he turned toward it, he did not notice the teenage girl blindly running up the path at great speed. The collision was inevitable, and although Alistair managed to remain on his feet, the same could not be said for the girl.

"I'm so sorry, Miss," he said, bending down to her. "I didn't see you. Are you all right?"

"Oh, it was my fault," she said, still on the ground. "I wasn't looking where I was going." She made a motion to stand up, but a sudden expression of pain flashed across her face and she grabbed on to her ankle, crying out.

Alistair looked at her ankle, which was quickly swelling. "We should take you to a hospital, Miss... I'm sorry, I don't know you're name."

"Susan," she said.

"Lieutenant Lethbridge-Stewart," he said. "Let's have a doctor take a look at your leg."

"No," said Susan, and the speed at which she refused him gave Alistair slight pause. Noticing his shock, Susan quickly explained, "I'd rather see my grandfather. I was supposed to be home ages ago, and he does worry about me. Besides, he's a doctor himself; he'll know what to do."

Alistair thought over what she said before answering, "Well, where does your grandfather live? I'll take you to him, at least. There's no way you can manage on that ankle by yourself."

Susan looked at him hesitantly, but eventually held out her hand to allow Alistair to lift her up. "He's not too far," she told him, leaning against his sturdy frame for support as she struggled to keep balance on her good leg.

They had only just left the park and walked down a few side streets when they spotted a man in the distance coming in their direction. "Grandfather," Susan called out to the man.

He was white-haired and wore a cape to fight against the breeze. When Alistair got close enough, he saw the gentleman wore an agitated expression, which then turned to worry when he noticed his granddaughter's predicament.

"Susan, my child!" he exclaimed. "What in heaven's name has happened to you?"

"It's nothing, Grandfather," she said. "It was just an accident. This man here has been kind enough to help me."

"Oh?" said the Grandfather, examining Alistair with both suspicion and wonder. "And who might you be, my dear boy?"

"Lethbridge-Stewart is the name," he answered. "And you?"

"You may call me 'the Doctor,'" said the Grandfather, taking Susan's hand to bring her closer to himself.

"Oh, yes," said Alistair, relinquishing the girl. "Your granddaughter here mentioned you were a medical man."

"Quite," said the Doctor, emitting a soft chuckle. "Well, thank you for showing kindness to my Susan; she's all I've got, you know." He turned to look at his granddaughter and gave her shoulder a pat and a slight squeeze, for which Susan smiled up at him with adoring eyes.

"It was no trouble at all; I'm glad to have been of service."

"Thank you for all your help," said Susan.

"Well, my good man," said the Doctor, extending his hand. "If there's anything I could ever do to repay you-"

"Think nothing of it," said Alistair, shaking the proffered hand.

"Then I'll just say thank you again," said the Doctor. "And that you've made a lifetime friend."

"Likewise," said Alistair.


End file.
